B727 crew descended below the MEA in mountainous terrain when radar service was terminated.

Attributes
ACN	468280
Time
Date	200003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	MT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 10400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	468280
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 72 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 72
ASRS Report	468171
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : zlc radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued alert flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were established on V86 to bzn VOR at 11000 ft when ZLC asked if we had the airport in sight. We told them negative, and that we were IMC. He then told us radar service was terminated and we were cleared for the approach. We mistakenly looked at the approach chart for the ILS runway 12 bzn and saw 7300 ft at the VOR and started down for that. ZLC queried us as to whether we had started a descent, which we had. He advised us that the MEA was 10400 ft in the area and to return to at least that altitude. We climbed back to 10400 ft. ATIS was OTS, but ASOS was available. Also, we had been told earlier in the flight that the radar was OTS around bzn and that is why we were rted on the victor airway. In the future, I plan to look much more carefully at the MEA's (especially at airports in the vicinity of mountainous terrain) and review the approach charts more thoroughly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW DSNDED BELOW THE MEA IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHEN RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED.

Narrative: WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON V86 TO BZN VOR AT 11000 FT WHEN ZLC ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WE TOLD THEM NEGATIVE, AND THAT WE WERE IMC. HE THEN TOLD US RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED AND WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH. WE MISTAKENLY LOOKED AT THE APCH CHART FOR THE ILS RWY 12 BZN AND SAW 7300 FT AT THE VOR AND STARTED DOWN FOR THAT. ZLC QUERIED US AS TO WHETHER WE HAD STARTED A DSCNT, WHICH WE HAD. HE ADVISED US THAT THE MEA WAS 10400 FT IN THE AREA AND TO RETURN TO AT LEAST THAT ALT. WE CLBED BACK TO 10400 FT. ATIS WAS OTS, BUT ASOS WAS AVAILABLE. ALSO, WE HAD BEEN TOLD EARLIER IN THE FLT THAT THE RADAR WAS OTS AROUND BZN AND THAT IS WHY WE WERE RTED ON THE VICTOR AIRWAY. IN THE FUTURE, I PLAN TO LOOK MUCH MORE CAREFULLY AT THE MEA'S (ESPECIALLY AT ARPTS IN THE VICINITY OF MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN) AND REVIEW THE APCH CHARTS MORE THOROUGHLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.